Most people know that there are numerous benefits associated with purchasing a rental car insurance policy. In some cases, the activities covered under a rental car will be covered by a personโs general car insurance policy, but many rental providers often suggest this coverage at the counter or online when a person is thinking about driving the vehicle.
This includes those people who are vacationing to Florida and other states. Consumers report that some car rental companies are pressuring renters to buy insurance, possibly by misleading them about their rights. Purchasing rental car insurance in Florida may be a good idea, but itโs not required.
Is Additional Rental Car Insurance Required?
Rental car insurance can cost as high as $50 per day depending on the level of coverage selected. If you do not have personal collision coverage or of you do not have your own auto insurance policy, it can be beneficial to purchase the rental policy so long as it doesnโt duplicate the protection you already have. In Florida, this is optional rental car coverage.
What Are the Different Types of Coverage Available Under Rental Car Insurance?
There are four primary types of insurance coverage available when you rent a car and intend to obtain insurance. These include:
- Liability coverage
- Personal accident insurance
- Loss damage waiver
- Personal effects
Does My Own Car Insurance Policy Cover a Rental?
If you already have an existing auto insurance policy, you are probably covered when you rent a car. In most cases, regular auto insurance covers a rental and protects against vandalism, theft, or collision coverage. Similar to if you were driving your regular car, your liability coverage works the same as in a rental car related claim. You would need to file your insurance claim as if you were driving your primary vehicle.
What Would a Rental Car Insurance Policy Not Cover?
The primary car insurance policy can cover many of the basics when renting a car but it will not cover loss of value, loss of use or other rental fees. Furthermore, most auto insurance companies wonโt cover you if you were driving overseas or if the car was used for business.
If the person driving a car who gets into an accident is not listed on the rental agreement that is under your name, your insurance company could deny coverage in this situation.
Is Car Rental Insurance Worth the Costs?
The personal circumstances of each driver will dictate whether or not rental car insurance is worth the cost. This includes the coverage provided by the personal auto insurance agency, the car make and model, the country in which the car is being rented and the credit card used to book the vehicle.
Is Additional Coverage Mandatory?
Many people are confused about whether or not the car rental insurance offered at the counter is required. Florida requires car rental companies to carry insurance on their vehicle. However, there is no corresponding law that says that someone has to purchase additional insurance.
Rental car insurance in Florida is optional for those people who meet the circumstances listed above. Yet some car rental companies are suspected of pushing optional insurance policies on renters as if they were mandatory. If you purchased car rental insurance under the impression that it was required, you may be able to seek compensation.
Join a Free Florida Rental Car Insurance Class Action Lawsuit Investigation
If you purchased optional car rental insurance from National, Alamo, or Enterprise in Florida within the last four years, you may be eligible to participate in a Florida Rental Car Insurance Class Action Lawsuit Investigation.
Fill out the form on this page for a FREE case evaluation.
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30 thoughts onDo I Need to Buy Rental Car Insurance in Florida?
Just returned from Fl where Miami Life car rental insisted I had to purchase a SunPass at either 16.99 or 24.99 a day. I found a SunPass Pro device in Navy exchange in Key West for one time cost of $14.99 and you input your plate and payment info to pay the tolls. It was an 8 day rental. In addition they required something they call Supplemental or Third Party liabillty to a minimum of 1 mllion dollars and required that to rent the car at 39.99 a day. I rented the car online for approx $125 for the 8 days but when I was done I had to pay over $400 more. How do they justify these requirements and charges???
08/25/21 Returned from Orlando center from ACTION CAR RENTAL pressured n lied to and bought loss damage waiver 24.99 a day x 4 day n I was lied to that my Illinois IPASS did not work in Florida. That was a Ellie I spoke with IPASS customer service n they told they are in the same group as surpass another 11.99ร4 days.
They are a bunch of thieves.
Zezgo in Miami tried to do that and more to me. I booked through Discovercars.com. Zezgo requires $1000000 liability insurance. The price is not quoted in advance. Even if you have it on your own car policy they would only accept a hard comply of your insurance card, not a screenshot on you phone app, not a direct pdf email to them. This, again, is not spelled out in advance. They do not allow you to use your own SunPass. Location is in delipetated warehouse, with no chairs to wait, no handicap access. Their BBB rating is F. I walked out, called Uber to my hotel, called Hertz Local Edition. Had a car in 30 min without any hassle and twice cheaper than it would have been with Zezgo additional fees (though slightly more that Zezgo original quote). Iโve filed with Florida AG. Now, Iโm trying to get money
Same here with Zezgo (Fort Lauderdale) and Travelocity (Expedia). This fraud.
Did you do anything? They have been doing that for years and get away with their scam. Very sad.
This happened to my family recently Dec 2023. We booked through Expedia. At the counter they asked us for insurance declaration page. We have full coverage. They forced us to buy liability otherwise not rent the car to us. Many complaints online about this company. I contacted their customer service, and disputed through credit card. No luck.
I donโt own a car so I donโt have my own car insurance. I work in Fla. 6 months a year so I must buy Budgetโs (where I rent) because thereโs a Fla. law that I must have Liability, and it costs almost $400 a month from Budget (more at Enterprise). I canโt find an ins. co. that covers rental cars independently. Anyone have any ideas how to make Budgetโs rate cheaper?
Same thing happened to me. I rented a car through Budget at the Tampa airport 3/9/20. When the salesman brought up insurance, my husband and I said we were pretty sure we were covered under our regular car insurance (we live in TX). The salesman said โwell itโs DIFFERENT here in FL, you HAVE to purchase liabilityโ and of course we were tired from our flight so we just folded and said okay. I figured it was a scam thoughโฆlooks like I was right :/
Same thing happened to me in Tampa at Budget. Tried to tell them my personal insurance covered it. They were having none of it. Almost seemed like they werenโt going to let me and my wife get the car if we didnโt get insurance.
Budget did the same thing said it was mandatory in the state of Florida I called bull shit on it but would not release the car until I paid up I paid in advance on the car. I was pissed
Priceless car rental in MCO Orlando did exactly the same thing. I had collision damage waiver already on my credit card and they told me I had to have liability insurance. I argued with them to no avail. I was told itโs mandatory and I can not cancel because I booked through CarRentals.com
DO NOT RENT FROM PRICELESS
Fox car rental in Miami told it was mandatory and I had to buy it. Fox and most of itโs employees are all liers and will cheat you at every opportunity !
Same thing happened to me twice with Fox. I will never rent again with them. The second time I even purchase the insurance that Expedia offered and they told me that it didnโt cover the minimum liability for the state of Florida.
FOX RENT A CAR DOES THIS ALL THE TIME I RENTED A CAR WITH THEM AND THEY TOLD ALL THE PEOPLE THAT TO BY THERE INSURANCE IS MANDATORY AND ALSO THE SAME THING DOES ACE CAR RENTELTHERE SISTER COMPANY
ACE rental car at MCO (Orlando) just did this to me. Told me I had to purchase a loss of use coverage for $15 a day for the 10 day rental or could not have car. Also said could not get a refund since I booked through Hot Wire.
Routes Car Rental near MCO did this to me also, they said itโs required in Florida and charged me $18 per day for liability, although I have the collision insurance from my credit card already. They were also trying to sell me other stuff like their $12/day sun pass by threatening to bill me $50 every time I go through the toll gate if I donโt buy theirs. I declined all the other stuff but couldnโt get away from the liability insuranceโฆ
I rented from enterprise/budget in December 2018. I purchased insurance.